Snow-plow and road-icer.



No. 711,561. y PATENTBD JAN. 6,1903.

` M. FERGUSON.

SNW PLOW AND ROAD ICBR. APPLIGATION FILED 1501.18', 1901.

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UNiTnn STATES MICHAL FERGUSON, OF MUNISNG, MICHIGAN.

SNOW-PLOW AND ROAD-lCER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,561, dated January'6, 1903.

Application iiled Otober 18,1901. Serial No. 79,120. (No model.)

To all whom t ntcty concer-nf Be it known that I, MICHAL FERGUSON,residing at Munising, in the county of Alger and State of Michigan,(which is my post-cnice address,) have invented a new and usefulSnow-Plow and Road-leer, by means of which snow can be cleared from theroads in the northern latitudes, preventing delay in hauling heavyloads, and at the same time icing the roads and thereby facilitatingtravel, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object the production of a device for removingsnow from lumbering roads and other roads in northern latitudes duringor immediately after a snowstorm by the use oli' steam, thereby blowingaway the snow-from the track and also melting the same thereon, thussprinkling the roads, icing the same when freezing, and preventingdelayin hauling aiterheavy snowstorms, and at the saine time also icingthe roads, enabling lumbermen or other travelers to haul heavierloadsthan could be done Without other road-sprinklin g.

My device consists of a heavy sleigh provided with hollow metallicrunners which are turned up at both ends and are about six inches indiameter or such other size as desired. The ends of these hollow runnersare closed by means of metallic plugs having a thread meshing with athread in the ends of the runners. On the top of the sleigh, which iscovered with plank, is a steam-boiler resting upon masonry placed uponthe top of the plank. The boiler has metallic-pipe connections with bothrunners, conveying steam into said runners. The metallic plug screwed inthe end of each runner is provided on the outer end with an eyebolt, bymeans of which the roller and tongue of the sleigh can be attached toeither end of the sleigh and removed from one tothe other with ease.Near the end of each runner at the outer side and near the center is athreaded quarterinch hole therein, which is provided with a threadedmetallic screw. When this device is in use, the screws in the front endof the runners as drawn are removed and the steam, forced through saidquarter-inch holes from the boiler, blows away or melts the snow infront and along the sides of the sleigh, thereby blowing the snow awayor melting the same upon the track, making a clear road and icing thesame by the freezing of the snow Thus melted.

I have found this device of great assistance in my lumbering operationsin northernlatitudes,

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my invention.. 'Fig 2 is aview of the upper side of the sleigh complete, on which the steam-boilerrests, and showing where it does rest and how the hollow metallicrunners project at each end vand where the caps close the same. Fig. 3is an end View of my invention, showing how steam-boiler with lire-holerests upon the sleigh supported by masonry; also the manner that thehollow runners at each end are turned up with caps on the end, and howthe quarter-inch hole is placed in the center of the metallic runner onthe front side, through which the steam is forced when the machine is inoperation; also showing, in connection with thev other drawings, how thesteam-pipes carry the steam from the boiler to the hollow runners andhow the boiler is guyed to the foundation. Fig. 4 is a sectional view ofA E, showing how the caps mesh with the runners.

A is a round hollow metallic runner provided with caps orplugsE and'Ef,as desired, which are screwed onto or into the end of A by means ofthreads inside or outside of the runner, as desired, meshing with athread on the' inside of the caps or outside of the plugs. 8

B is a portable steam-boiler resting upon planks F.

D and D are iron plates with circular groove in the bottom meshing withthe runner A and upon which rest the cross-timbers C and C.

F represents the planks that are spiked upon the cross-timbers C and C.

G is the mason-work, consisting of brick or stone, on which the boiler Brests.

H and H are the steam-pipes through which the steam is taken from theupper end'of the boiler down each side of the boiler to the runners.

I is the smoke-stack of the boiler.

J is the roller attached to the tongue K and which hooks into E and E'by means of an eyebolt.

K is the tongue, mortised into roller J.

L and L are chains fastened in the eyebolt in the end of the runners atone end and at the other end to bolts M and M', Which pass throughfoundation-timbers C and C for the purpose of strengthening the runnersand keeping them in place.

N, as shown in Fig. 3, is a fire-hole into the fire-box, which restsupon masonry G.

O represents guy-lines holding the boiler and other connections inplace.

Pand P' are quarter-inch holes in the ceuter of the curvature at theends of each runner, through Which the steam is forced when my inventionis in use, the corresponding holes at the opposite ends-namely, the rearof the sleigh as in use-being closed by screws. Cock K is the means byWhich the steam generated in boiler B is let into the pipes I-I and Hand thence down into runners A.

ItWill be noticed thatthe efficiency and value of this device is that byits use heavy snows may be cleared promptly and With slight eX- pense asthe snow is falling or immediately after it has fallen by forcing steamfrom the holes P and P', blowing the light snow from off the track andat the same time melting a portion of the same, which will run down overthe road-bed, freezing and coating the road with ice to such an extentas to improve the hauling facility from time to time as the roads becomerough and Worn by use.

This device can be constructed at moderate cost and is an improvementover any other device Within my knowledge for clearing roads promptlyduring and after heavy snowstorms in northern latitudes. Especially isthis so on lumbering roads in northern latitudes, and this device issuperior to any other for that purpose now in use Within my knowledge.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by-Letters Patent,is-

In a snow-plow and road-icer, the combination of hollow sleigh-runners Aand A', each provided with threaded caps E and E meshing with threads onthe ends of said runners; in connection with cross-timbers C and C',resting ou iron plates D and D covered and held in place by planks Fbolted or spiked thereto; in connection with boiler B pro-` vided Withfoundation of masonry G resting on planks F; said boiler provided Withlirehole N, guys O, smoke-pipe I; in connection With steam-pipes H andI-I, provided with cock K, substantially as shown and described.

DatedSeptember 18, 1901.

his MICHAL FERGUSON. mark In presence of- ANTHONY FERGUSON, THOMASMILLER.

